. ♪ >> reporter: new orleans, the crescent city. i remains a fascinating place because of the originality and diversity of its culture. right next door to cathedral debutante and manicured mansions. we have our own music architecture, way of speaking, and of course food. fried food like and sweet and rice dishes but our signature dish is gumbo. gumbo is symbolic of the best of new orleans. it's as much a cultural symbol of louisiana as the bayou or jazz. that's why like new orleans herself, gumbo is temperamental approachable but unpredictable. and across america no dish speaks more vividly of a melting pot than gumbo. it's a complex mysterious dish born of necessity bringing together a multiplicity of ingredients and ethnicities. dating back more than 300 years being believe the west african slave population first created this dish out of hardship. the name gumbo derives from the world king gumbo which is the name for okra the popular ingredient. the indians developed the key powder from sassafras leaves and the french lay claim to